Amazon unveils new way to shop from home with Dash wand

Amazon unveiled the Amazon Dash on Friday, a wand that allows users to add groceries or household items to their online shopping cart.

Tracie Knabe Snowder

Amazon has a new way for customers to shop right from their own homes.
Amazon unveiled the Amazon Dash on Friday, a wand that allows users to add groceries or household items to their online shopping carts, which will then be delivered within a few days, using the AmazonFresh service.
"Simply say it or scan it," Amazon said on its website. "Add items on the go and shop effortlessly throughout your day."
The black-and-white wand shaped like a remote control has a laser bar code scanner, microphone and speaker and connects wirelessly to a person's AmazonFresh account. If AmazonFresh does not have the exact item scanned, it will add the most closely related item, such as a different brand of wheat bread.
Amazon is marketing the item as something the whole family can enjoy - but parents should beware of sneaky kids who can add whatever treat their hearts desire.
Amazon Dash is currently available by invite only, but the company plans on rolling it out to other customers soon. AmazonFresh is operating exclusively in Seattle, San Francisco and areas of Southern California and plans to expand to 20 more cities in 2014, including some outside the U.S.
Amazon is one of the first major online retailers to successfully delve into the online fresh-grocery business. Webvan, a pioneer of online food delivery service that started in 1999, aimed to provide groceries within 30 minutes of ordering. It went bankrupt in 2001 when its production efforts couldn't meet demand.%3Cimg%20src%3D%22http%3A//beacon.deseretconnect.com/beacon.gif%3Fcid%3D160887%26pid%3D46%22%20/%3E

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